K-12 Education Fair

This is likely what comes to mind when considering a career in K-12 education. There are several things to consider such as how you express yourself as a teacher and what environments may be best suited for your talents.

This includes (but not limited to) your thoughts on:

• Traditional “lecture” style of teaching vs. project-based learning
• Teaching in an urban, suburban, rural, low-income, affluent or other type of community
• Connection to other teachers in your school, including collaboration across classrooms and roles
• Subject area (including but not limited to): English, History, Mathematics/Science, Arts/Music, Teaching English Language Learners, Special Education, Liberal Arts
• School Type: Public, Public, Charter, Private, International, Faith-Based
• Age Group: Early Childhood, Primary, Secondary

Licensure and Certification: Laws and regulations to become a teacher are created and governed at the state level. These often vary depending on the state and type of your intended school. Make sure to do your research beforehand.

You may be able to meet requirements through:

• A Master’s Degree — the following programs are offered through Biola's School of Education:
  • Master of Arts in Teaching
  • Master of Arts in Education
  • Master of Arts in P-12 Multilingual, Multicultural Education
  • Master of Science in Curriculum, Instruction and Publication
  • Master of Science in Special Education
• A Bachelor’s Degree — the following programs are offered through Biola's School of Education:
  • B.A. in Early Childhood
  • B.A. in Liberal Studies, Elementary Education
  • B.A. in Liberal Studies, Multidisciplinary 
• Participation in Alternative Teaching Programs (e.g. Teach for America)

Source: https://www.wellesley.edu/careereducation/resources/careers-k-12-education

These roles coordinate the day-to-day operations of a school or assist in administrative support for different departments. Common positions include:

• Subject-area administrators
• Athletic administrators
• Human resources specialists
• Program coordinators

Source: https://www.wellesley.edu/careereducation/resources/careers-k-12-education

School counseling directly engages students’ social-emotional development both in and beyond the classroom to support their academic success. This includes activities such as:

• Individual counseling and guidance
• Crafting plan for courses and extracurriculars
• Career counseling/guidance
• Emotional support during a crisis
• Developing socio-emotional curriculum (e.g. bullying, stress management and wellness, career planning)
• Adapting to challenges that interfere with academic performance

For more information about school counseling, including the education and training needed, visit the American School Counseling Association.

Source: https://www.wellesley.edu/careereducation/resources/careers-k-12-education

Many of us encountered the school nurse when we didn't feel well or needed ice for bumps and bruises on the playground. While providing first aid care is a key part of their duties, these highly trained healthcare professionals also coordinate with the school's healthcare team or health center to offer preventative care, health education and counseling, among other services.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Providing direct care to students, including those with chronic conditions and disabilities that require care during the school day.
• Overseeing all health services within the school, including immunization and screening clinics.
• Developing health-related aspects of emergency response plans.
• Promoting a healthy school environment through program development, communication, information management and reporting
• Assisting with a holistic health curriculum.
• Contributing to health policies and programs within the school system.
• Serving as a liaison among the school and parents, doctors, case managers, teachers and other stakeholders in child health.
• Supervising unlicensed members of the healthcare team.

Source: https://nursejournal.org/careers/school-nurse/

An inability for children to communicate clearly during primary education can create lifelong learning disabilities. SLPs are purposely integrated into the school system to render services to kids with speech and swallowing problems. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly two out of every five SLPs work in schools. ASHA, the American Speech Language Hearing Association, estimates that more than half of all SLPs work in an educational environment. SLPs within the education system tend to have a broader range of responsibilities.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Conduct general screenings and diagnostic evaluations of at-risk students.
• Provide services on an individual or small-group basis.
• Work with and train educational professionals on strategies for mitigating speech and language disorders.
• Work with the families of children with speaking problems to ensure treatment occurs both at home and in school.
• Work in general and special education classrooms to improve listening, speaking, reading, writing and learning strategies.
• Maintain documentation on students under their care.

Source: https://www.speechpathologygraduateprograms.org/slp-in-schools/